The Heart Media Podcast

David Makin has spent his life somewhere between coffee, competition and controlled chaos.
From growing up around events and hospitality, to becoming the first ever Victorian Barista Champion, to coming second in the world, to building Axil Coffee Roasters into one of Melbourne’s most recognised coffee brands, his story is full of grit, obsession and near misses.
In this episode, we talk about the early days of specialty coffee in Melbourne, losing everything before starting again, the mentors who helped him rebuild, opening Axil with Zoe, racing cars as a very expensive “hobby”, and what it really takes to train world champion baristas.
We also get into the reality of hospitality right now. Rising wages, fuel surcharges, public holiday penalties, the pressure on cafes, and why the price of coffee has become such a heated conversation.
But underneath it all, this is a conversation about resilience.
About getting close, missing out, going again, and building something that lasts.
A proper Melbourne hospitality story.
Full episode out now.
Thank you for listening! We are so grateful we get to do this thing and it really means the world to us to have supporters like yourself listening in.

Find us on EVERYTHING here:

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/_heartmedia

YouTube
 
https://youtube.com/@heartmediayt

Bily's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bilymasri

Tyrone's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/tyronespeziale

The Heart Media Podcast is a hospitality focused podcast hosted by the co-founders of Heart Media, Tyrone & Bily. Heart Media is a Melbourne based creative agency that specialise in all things marketing, content creation and growth within the hospo space.

From starting a two Michelin-star apprenticeship at just 15 years old, to surviving the intense 90-hour work weeks of 1990s hospitality 🧑‍🍳🎙️We sat down with David to talk about his incredible journey from a small UK pit town to the elite kitchens of Raymond Blanc.
From the terrifying reality of entering an aggressive, macho adult workplace as a teenager, to finding his true "tribe" and family inside the kitchen crew, this chat is a raw and fascinating look into what old-school hospitality was really like.
If you love food history, chef stories, or are just fascinated by what it takes to make it in the culinary world, this episode is a must-listen.

Watch the full episode now.
Thank you for listening! We are so grateful we get to do this thing and it really means the world to us to have supporters like yourself listening in.

Find us on EVERYTHING here:

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/_heartmedia

YouTube
 
https://youtube.com/@heartmediayt

Bily's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bilymasri

Tyrone's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/tyronespeziale

The Heart Media Podcast is a hospitality focused podcast hosted by the co-founders of Heart Media, Tyrone & Bily. Heart Media is a Melbourne based creative agency that specialise in all things marketing, content creation and growth within the hospo space.

1.9 BILLION diners seated globally last year ??🎙️

We sat down with Drew from OpenTable Australia to talk all things hospitality, restaurants, trends, AI, marketing, bookings, viral venues and what actually makes people want to dine out in 2026.

From why Melbourne’s food scene is still world class, to the rise of experience led dining and the future of restaurant tech, this chat is packed with insights, opinions and some seriously good conversation.

If you’re in hospitality, marketing, or just obsessed with food, this one’s worth the listen.

Watch the full episode now.
Thank you for listening! We are so grateful we get to do this thing and it really means the world to us to have supporters like yourself listening in.

Find us on EVERYTHING here:

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/_heartmedia

YouTube
 
https://youtube.com/@heartmediayt

Bily's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bilymasri

Tyrone's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/tyronespeziale

The Heart Media Podcast is a hospitality focused podcast hosted by the co-founders of Heart Media, Tyrone & Bily. Heart Media is a Melbourne based creative agency that specialise in all things marketing, content creation and growth within the hospo space.

For Mark Hannell, it didn’t start with a romantic story surrounded by generations of food. It was him and a mate, cooking curry for friends, figuring it out as they went.

Fast forward and he’s now the chef and co-owner of Reed House in Melbourne, after years working his way through some of the most respected venues in London and Melbourne.

No big fairytale origin. Just hard work, a bit of risk, and a genuine love for feeding people, and that is exactly what we got to talk about in this episode.
Thank you for listening! We are so grateful we get to do this thing and it really means the world to us to have supporters like yourself listening in.

Find us on EVERYTHING here:

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/_heartmedia

YouTube
 
https://youtube.com/@heartmediayt

Bily's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bilymasri

Tyrone's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/tyronespeziale

The Heart Media Podcast is a hospitality focused podcast hosted by the co-founders of Heart Media, Tyrone & Bily. Heart Media is a Melbourne based creative agency that specialise in all things marketing, content creation and growth within the hospo space.

The hard truth: money is the oxygen of business.

When the oxygen drops, businesses don’t operate the same. They make trade offs. They cut where they can. Survival takes over, and long term thinking gets pushed aside.

That is exactly what we unpack in this episode. We sit down with Lyndon Kubis, an Australian entrepreneur, wine merchant, and hospitality advisor recognised for shaping Melbourne’s modern wine bar culture.

Watch the full episode now.
Thank you for listening! We are so grateful we get to do this thing and it really means the world to us to have supporters like yourself listening in.

Find us on EVERYTHING here:

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/heartmediapodcast

Heart Media Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/_heartmedia

YouTube
 
https://youtube.com/@heartmediayt

Bily's Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/bilymasri

Tyrone's Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/tyronespeziale

The Heart Media Podcast is a hospitality focused podcast hosted by the co-founders of Heart Media, Tyrone & Bily. Heart Media is a Melbourne based creative agency that specialise in all things marketing, content creation and growth within the hospo space.